towing sway control????

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mikeT
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towing sway control????

#1 Post by mikeT » Sun Jul 27, 2008 8:39 pm

I have a 86 chevy crew cab dually 454 th400 4.10s that is lowered that I tow my 24ft enclosed trailer with, I dont have anything on it for weight distribution or sway control. I notice on the highway when vehicles pass beside the trailer I'm getting some sway out of it :shock: ? wonder if you guys have similar experiences and what you use to prevent it? I see they have weight distribution hitches for leveling them out but this is a 1ton dually so it doesnt squat the rear of the truck down. I never thought it would do this cause the truck has such a long wheelbase??

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79 Camaro
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Re: towing sway control????

#2 Post by 79 Camaro » Sun Jul 27, 2008 10:50 pm

I have a 24ft enclosed also, and we had trouble with my trailer wanting to whip with the class "C" tires that came on my Haulmark. We upgraded to some good 10 ply tires and it made a big difference in the way the trailer pulled/felt and no more whipping... What tires do you have on your trailer?
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Craig W.
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Re: towing sway control????

#3 Post by Craig W. » Sun Jul 27, 2008 11:13 pm

What size are your 10 ply trailer tires? I did a quick search and can only find 6 ply class C st205/75-15. I ran some st225/75-15 class D on my 24' trailer, but I don't really want to go to that size on my "new" 26' trailer since it will raise it up a good bit and make loading the car more difficult.
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mikeT
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Re: towing sway control????

#4 Post by mikeT » Mon Jul 28, 2008 4:28 pm

I will have to check whats on the trailer? Its a new Vintage bandit.

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CoMax Racing
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Re: towing sway control????

#5 Post by CoMax Racing » Mon Jul 28, 2008 5:23 pm

I have found that the placement of the car in the trailer has a lot to do with stability. Try moving the car ahead a bit to create more tongue weight.

If you can't move the car any, put on a set of load leveling torsion bars.

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Re: towing sway control????

#6 Post by drummondracing » Mon Jul 28, 2008 5:43 pm

I have a 87 crew cab dually 4x4 I pull my 28 ft with and dont have any from of sway controll or stabilizers. First like already mentioned if the car is too far to the rear it will create a sway issue and also make sure you check your tire pressure every time you travel, low tire pressure will not only create sway but will cause the tires to heat up increasing the risk of a blow out. You mentioned you are using a lowered truck. Is the trailer level or, is the combination "dipping" in the middle this can also cause sway. Either way you shouldn't have any problem pulling that trailer at 60-65 mph. You should be able to go faster but with the th400 and the 4.10's I know your pain!!!!
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mikeT
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Re: towing sway control????

#7 Post by mikeT » Mon Jul 28, 2008 6:36 pm

I think its time for me to check my tonque weight and car placement. With my hitch the trailer sets level. Your right Drummond racing about the 4.10s and th400. It really buzzes when you try to run over 70mph. Had a edelbrock 750 and got about 5-6 mpg. went to a quadrajet, seems more responsive but havent pulled the trailer to check mpg again, seems like I should get a little better mpg than this??? But maybe I'm just wishfull thinking??? THANKS GUYS for your help!!!!

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Re: towing sway control????

#8 Post by 79 Camaro » Mon Jul 28, 2008 7:08 pm

Craig W. wrote:What size are your 10 ply trailer tires? I did a quick search and can only find 6 ply class C st205/75-15. I ran some st225/75-15 class D on my 24' trailer, but I don't really want to go to that size on my "new" 26' trailer since it will raise it up a good bit and make loading the car more difficult.

That is the size that we went with 225/75/15 10 ply. The trailer whipping was not the only reason for going to a better tire. My Camaro is very heavy and with it and the 4 wheeler in there we had to really keep a eye out on pressures and speed to prevent blowouts... I dont know why they put those class C tires on a big trailer like these... They would work awesome for a open trailer. And we load our trailer very well to where the equalizer bars are level, but enough tongue weight for the 1 ton to be happy...
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Re: towing sway control????

#9 Post by drummondracing » Mon Jul 28, 2008 9:14 pm

Good luck on the mpg increase!!!!!!! my truck is fuel injected and i am lucky to get around 6 !! 8-)
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70 Nova SS bracket / t.n.t car.
(Yes REAL SS 396 DISCS 12B0LT ETC)

WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE 68-74 NOVAS




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Re: towing sway control????

#10 Post by John_Heard » Mon Jul 28, 2008 9:21 pm

Craig I found that Denman makes an 8 ply 205/75 15" tire. That's what I have on mine. We did lose one Friday on the way to the track but the tire guy thought we must have lost air pressure/ran over something the way it looked and cut the tire down with the rim. I don't recall running over anything that would knock it down that quick, but I suppose that's possible. Anyway, look into Denman for those 8 ply 205's.

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Re: towing sway control????

#11 Post by Craig W. » Mon Jul 28, 2008 9:50 pm

Cool, thanks John.

Is that a class D tire? 65 psi max pressure?
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Re: towing sway control????

#12 Post by John_Heard » Tue Jul 29, 2008 5:53 am

65 Yes, I'm certain that's what their max psi is. I don't recall the class, must be a class D.

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Re: towing sway control????

#13 Post by lightnin » Thu Aug 07, 2008 12:19 pm

hi run cargo makes them also in a 8 ply each letter goes 2 increments B= 4ply C= 6 ply D=8 ply and so forth

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Re: towing sway control????

#14 Post by John_Heard » Thu Aug 07, 2008 1:11 pm

FYI - I'll have to say I no longer recommend Denman. We've blown two of those tires so far on the way to the races in the last few weeks. Sidewall temp hasn't exceeded 127 degrees and they've always been set cold psi 65 psi (max) before we leave. I'm waiting to hear from the tire dealer and his rep what they are going to do about them. Dealer says he hasn't seen people have problems with them of course. I don't believe we're running them over their rated capacity, but haven't weighed the trailer. I have hauled more weight on the old 6 plys and never lost one so?

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Re: towing sway control????

#15 Post by John_Heard » Thu Aug 07, 2008 1:14 pm

lightnin wrote:hi run cargo makes them also in a 8 ply each letter goes 2 increments B= 4ply C= 6 ply D=8 ply and so forth
Have you tried this brand? I maybe looking to try something different.

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